


Merry Christmas From the Family

by princesstigerlily



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Christmas Parties, Fluff, Just Married, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21753976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princesstigerlily/pseuds/princesstigerlily
Summary: Patrick and David host a party to celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple, but it doesn't go quite to Patrick's plan
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 40
Kudos: 117
Collections: Schitt's Creek Open Fic Night 2.0





	Merry Christmas From the Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HolmesApothecary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolmesApothecary/gifts).



Rose Apothecary looked nothing like it usually did. The tables were empty of product and instead laden with food and drink. The shelves were draped with crisp white and soft blue fabric, strung with garlands of evergreen and holly. The overhead lights were dimmed, but the store was still lit by the soft glow of dozens and dozens of fairy lights. A tree stood in the corner, all garnet and emerald baubles, gold ribbons, and silver bells. The delicate scents of pine and cranberry and cinnamon wafted throughout the room. Snow swirled through the night sky, but inside was warm and cozy, the sound of music and laughter filling the air.

It was a perfect winter wonderland.

David stood in the corner fiddling with his wedding rings and surveying his and Patrick's hard work as their guest milled about, loading up their plates, drinking mulled wine and eggnog, and just enjoying each other's company. There were a lot more people here than David had expected, more than Patrick had led him to believe he was expecting. He wasn't sure how he felt about this many people invading his oasis of beauty and consumerism without actually buying anything, but Patrick had made him promise that this party was strictly social. Speaking of which, where was Patrick?

Furrowing his brow, David scanned the room. There was Moira and Marcy, Johnny and Roland and Clint, Stevie and Ronnie. Face after familiar face, but nowhere in the crowd was Patrick. David couldn't believe he would miss this after all the time and energy he had put into planning it. The party had been Patrick's idea, after all, a big blowout to celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple. So where was he?

Out of the corner of his eye, David caught sight of movement, and when he turned his head, he noticed the curtains that blocked off the backroom from the main floor fluttering. David moved from his spot in the corner towards the curtains, making sure no one was paying him any attention, and ducked behind them.

The scene that greeted him was almost comical, and he would have laughed if Patrick hadn't made quite such a tragic figure. In order to get ready for the party tonight, they had taken all the merchandise from the display tables and piled it high in the back room. The room was now a mess of disorganization and clutter, boxes haphazardly piled on the floor, with throws and scarves and other knitted things spilling out of them. Skin care and scented candles were everywhere, with mountains of organic honey and jam jars stacked precariously on top of one another. Compared to the elegant, sumptuous display on the main floor, their back room looked like an episode of _Hoarders_.

And there, sitting in the middle of the mess with his knees tucked up under his chin, was Patrick.

"What are you doing back here?” David hissed, tentatively taking a step forward but only just managing not to knock over a tower of organic beeswax candles.

Patrick raised wide panicked eyes to David. "I can't go out there!"

"What's wrong?" Gingerly, he shoved a surprisingly heavy stack of boxes aside and picked his way across the floor so he could stand in front of Patrick.

"Everything!" Patrick said, his voice a hoarse whisper. "Everything is wrong. Everything about this party is wrong. This party is a disaster!"

David was shocked by the vehemence behind Patrick’s words. By all accounts, the party was actually going well. He truly had no idea what had gotten his husband this upset, and though he was maybe not always great at calming people down - more used to being the hysterical one in any given situation - he would do his best for Patrick. David bent his knees once or twice as if about sit, trying to find a spot where he would be able to sit down among the mess but still keep his skin tight white pants unscathed. Eventually, he just gave up and hauled Patrick to his feet instead. No need to upset them both.

“We seem to have a very different idea of what constitutes a disaster,” David said.

While standing in David’s arms, Patricks’ face had lost its crazed edge, but the panic was still there. “David,” he said pointedly. “Look out that curtain and tell me honestly you don’t see a disaster. My mom is already drunk. My dad is wearing a sweatshirt with the words “make the yuletide gay” in rainbow letters on it. I miscalculated and spent way more money on this than I had intended, and Ronnie just told me she wasn’t sure we had the right permit for this party.”

David decided to just brush past the point about the money, knowing that was a conversation for another time, and ran his hands soothingly up and down Patrick’s arms. He squeezed his shoulders supportively and said, “Your parents are fine. Your mom is no drunker than mine and they’re only a few glasses in. And your dad...they’re being supportive. They’ll get over the more demonstrative aspects of their support soon.”

“It’s been over a year since I came out, they could get over it sooner,” Patrick grumbled.

“ _And_ ,” David said, pointedly talking over Patrick so he wouldn’t derail David’s supportiveness, “I’m sure it was Ronnie who issued you the permit, so if it’s wrong, it’s her fault and she’ll fix it.”

Patrick stared at David in disbelief for a second. “There is no permit for this party! This wasn’t supposed to be a Rose Apothecary event. We’re married now and I...I just...I thought it was a good thing to do, show that we’re...I don’t know, successful adults or something. This was just supposed to be our families and, like, Stevie.”

“Stevie is our family.”

“Right, so...I never got a permit for this.”

“Then why are all these people here?” David demanded bringing his hands up to his face in distress. Patrick winced as David’s voice jumped about an octave.

“I don’t know!” Patrick cried, surprising himself when his own came out matching David’s in pitch. Patrick clapped his hands to his face, scrubbing them through his hair roughly. “When I mentioned the party to your dad, he kind of misunderstood and got a little emotional, talking about fathers and sons and passing the torch. And then it just kind of snowballed from there. I managed to get extra food, but this is still _way_ more people than I expected. And I didn’t even think about needing a permit.”

David took a deep breath and lowered his hands, holding them out in front of him in a calming gesture. He looked at Patrick with a determined look in his eye, like he had a plan of action. Patrick’s heart leapt to his throat, ready to follow his incredible husband to the ends of the earth if he wanted, just as long as he fixed this party.

“I think there’s only one thing to do,” David said seriously. “I think you need to go out there and suggest a game of spin the bottle.”

Patrick pursed his lips in annoyance at the reminder of the first disaster party he threw in Schitt’s Creek. He couldn't believe David was bringing it up now, in his time of need. “That’s not nice.”

“No?” David asked, his lips twisting as he tried his best to hide the impish smile threatening to overtake him. He couldn’t stop the light teasing from his eyes. Taking a step closer, David wound his arms around Patricks shoulders and pulled him close, smiling to himself when he felt Patrick’s hands find his waist. Even when he was annoyed, Patrick’s hands couldn't stop from holding him. “I think it’s a great idea. I’ll even let Ted kiss you this time. Just to be fair.”

Patrick let out a helpless chuckle and rested his head on David’s shoulder, taking comfort in the warmth of David’s arms and the smell of his cologne. He wished he could stay like this forever, wrapped up in a safe cocoon of his husband’s body. “Ugh, I should have just corrected your dad when he misunderstood. I don’t know why I didn’t do that at the time instead of running around like an idiot trying to make this work.”

David snorted, “Uh, probably because you are incapable of saying no to either one of my parents. You still act like they could disapprove of our marriage at any time and snatch me away, which is patently ridiculous seeing as how they clearly like you better than me. I would content myself with the love of your parents, but they still think the sun shines out of your ass. I have resigned myself to a life of living in your less well dressed shadow, as far as our parents are concerned.” He heaved a theatrical sigh of resignation.

Patrick pulled back and looked at David like he’d just spoken in a foreign language. “What are you talking about?” he asked. David couldn’t possibly think their parents liked Patrick more than David. His dad was always asking about him, and his mother called David more often than Patrick anymore. “My parents are constantly making it clear that I am not treating you well enough as your husband.”

“Dad is always coming to you for business advice. He’s like a heartbeat away from asking you to invest in the motel!”

“Uh, my mother scolded me for calling this a _Christmas_ party and asked when my conversion classes are going to start.”

David blinked back at Patrick, unable to comprehend his last sentence. He couldn’t possibly mean… “I’m sorry...what?”

With wide eyes, Patrick nodded, confirming David’s suspicions. “Yeah, she told me it was a shame I didn’t do it before the wedding so we could have included all your cultural traditions. I told her I’ve never once seen you go to temple, and she said it’s because you probably don’t feel supported enough.”

“Oh my god.”

A loud cheer from the other side of the curtain drew both men’s attention. Carefully, David picked his way back through the mess and pulled the curtains back, just enough to peek through and see the cause of the commotion.

Moira and Marcy were standing in front of the Christmas tree, each holding a glass of mulled wine. Marcy’s face had gone a sweet shade of pink and she was giggling, a wide smile stretched across her face. Moira had grabbed her free hand and was leading her in a complicated dance routine.

“What a felicitous and apropos understudy for my wayward son!” Moira cried, both women swaying together. “You’ll be performance ready in no time.”

“Is...is my mom teaching your mom The Number?” David asked, horror etched on his face. He let the curtain drop in front of him, shielding him from witnessing any other such atrocities. At least if he had an understudy, he might get out of performing it this year.

Turning back around, David noticed Patrick looking at him, a strange expression on his face. “What?” David asked, patting his clothing and checking his hair, instantly self-conscious.

“We’ve never actually talked about religion before,” Patrick said slowly, apparently still stuck on that part of the conversation. David envied him missing the sight of their mothers practicing The Number together. “Would you...would you want me to convert?” Patrick’s eyes suddenly went wide and he gasped. “Oh my god, is my mother right? Do you not go to temple because I’m not supportive?”

Well, this was not the conversation David expected to be having at a Christmas party.

“I don’t go to temple because I don’t want to drive all the way to Elmdale.”

“We don’t have a temple here in Schitt’s Creek?”

David pouted his lips condescendingly at Patrick’s sweet naivete. “You mean for me and the six other Jews? That’s not even enough for a minyan.”

“See, I am unsupportive!" Patrick cried, throwing his hands up. "I don’t even know what that means!”

“Okay,” David said, grabbing onto Patrick’s shoulders and shaking him slightly. Had someone spiked the eggnog? What had happened to his usually calm and steady husband? “In the immortal words of the great Taylor Swift, _you need to calm down_ ! It’s not like I went all that often before, and...you know I'm only half Jewish, right? Why are we even talking about this now, anyway? We are at a Christmas party!” David’s arms flailed beside him, gesturing to the piles of merchandise surrounding them, as if the mess was anything akin to a celebration. “Emphasis on _party_ . We should be eating. Well, no, we should be _drinking_ . We should be sneaking back here to make out, not freak out. Besides,” David concluded, rolling his eyes and walking his fingers up Patrick’s arms teasingly, “spiraling is _my_ thing.”

Patrick tugged his bottom lip into his mouth and chewed on it anxiously. Without answering David, he ducked by him and peeked out through the curtains again. His father was standing with Ronnie and Roland, seemingly in deep conversation. Nothing good could come of that.

Turning suddenly back to David, Patrick said, “Fuck it, let’s just get drunk.”

A grin lit up David’s face, always excited whenever he could coax a swear out of Patrick’s mouth. “That’s the spirit!” he cried.

Picking his way to the very back of the store, managing to only knock over one tower of alpaca throw rugs, David rummaged through their wine rack to pull out their nicest red. He found the corkscrew hidden in the back of Patrick’s desk, opened the bottle, and passed it to Patrick.

Patrick grabbed the bottle around the neck, tipped his head, and took a long swig.

David’s eyes widened and he felt a heat thrumming through him as he stared, mesmerized, at the long, taut lines of Patrick’s throat, swallowing down the wine. Three and a half years they'd been together, and in that time he'd seen Patrick's body in every position and situation imaginable. Yet still, it was sometimes the smallest things that left him breathless with want. He stumbled on the boxes as he made his way back to his husband, pulling him close and kissing him deeply. The tip of his tongue licked up Patrick’s chin where a trickle of wine leaked from his mouth, chasing the bitter taste of grape.

“Wow,” Patrick breathed, staring into David’s face with lust blown pupils. His hands slid under the wool of David’s sweater, gripping the warm skin of David’s waist. “Kiss me like that again and we’re going to have to ditch this disaster of a party so I can get you naked.”

David smirked. He loved that even after all this time together, even now that they were married, he could make Patrick putty in his hand with just a kiss. And as much as he would have liked to duck out and let Patrick strip him down and have his way with him, that would have to wait. Patrick had worked hard on this party, and David knew it meant a lot to him. It meant a lot to have their families coming together for the holidays, to spend this first Christmas as a married couple with all the people they loved the most. And apparently, the rest of the town, too.

Pressing a soft kiss to his husband’s lips, David stepped back out of his arms. “Come with me,” he said. “I think you’re not seeing things clearly.”

Carefully, David led Patrick back to the curtains and pulled them aside enough for the two of them to peek out. “What do you see?”

“Well, I just noticed that my dad’s sweatshirt also lights up, so that's going to haunt my dreams for the next little while.”

David’s face pulled in all directions as he tried not to laugh. “Mmhmm, yep. It definitely does. But that’s not what I’m looking for. What is Alexis doing?”

“Alexis…” Patrick trailed off as he scanned the crowd. He couldn’t find her at first, but finally he spotted her. She was dressed to the nines as usual in her signature boho chic, white boots and a flowing floral dress, big hoop earrings and her hair swept up and strung with tiny silver bells. She was sitting on the ground, Ted at her side. And also… “She’s playing with Rollie, Jr.”

“Do you know why?”

Patrick shook his head, transfixed by the happiness radiating from Alexis’ face as Rollie, Jr giggled, two fat toddler hands reaching out for Alexis.

“Because she and Ted are going to have a baby and she's getting some practice in.”

Patrick whipped his head around to stare at David. “Is she…?”

David nodded. “She hasn’t told anyone but me yet, so act surprised when she announces it on Christmas Day.”

Turning back to Alexis once again, Patrick thought his heart would beat right out of his chest, he was so full of joy for Alexis and Ted. He knew their relationship had a rocky start - a failed engagement and a broken heart - but they had worked so hard to get to the steady and solid place they were in now and loved each other so effortlessly. He couldn’t wait to be an uncle to their child, not to mention see how David fared at the job. He and David had had a conversation about kids of their own back before they got married, and he smiled at the memory - David was the one who had brought it up in that endearingly abrasive way he got when he was especially anxious. He wanted to make sure they were on the same page before they made vows to each other. They had agreed to revisit the conversation on their five year anniversary, just to make sure they still felt the same way, but Patrick was contented with the decision they had made and didn’t see it changing.

“Now look over at your mom.”

Patrick turned his head to look towards the Christmas tree. His mother, having lost her wine, was now hand in hand with Moira and Jocelyn, a gaggle of additional Jazzagals surrounding them, all swaying and dancing and singing along to the music coming from the speakers, grins and giggles shared between them all. Patrick’s face softened. Though she wasn't without her faults, the way she had wholeheartedly embraced not just David, but the entire Rose family (Stevie and Ted included) would forever mean the world to Patrick. She looked like she was having so much fun, all of them just a little tipsy, but happy and joyful.

“Now you go,” David said, nodding to the rest of the party.

Patrick’s eyes scanned through the crowd, landing on the elegant green couch that sat in the back corner, and snorted. “Look at your dad.”

David ducked his head, pressing his smile into Patrick’s shoulders to stifle his laughter. Johnny and Roland were sitting together on the couch, both fast asleep, Johnny’s head snuggled into Roland’s shoulder.

Wrapping his arms around Patrick’s waist and tucking his chin over Patrick’s shoulder, David gestured to the other side of the room. “Uh oh,” he said, laughter still in his voice. “Do we need to intervene with yours? Ronnie and Stevie look like they mean business.”

Patrick glanced over and saw Clint sitting at a table with Ronnie and Stevie, laughing over what looked like a serious game of rummy. “They might mean business," Patrick warned, "but they’ve never gone up against Clint Brewer when pride was on the line. They better watch out.”

David grinned, pressing a soft kiss into Patrick’s throat. “See? Your party isn’t a disaster. I mean, it would have been better if you’d gone along with _my_ theme...”

Patrick rolled his eyes. “I don’t know if people would have really been into the last days of the Romanovs.”

“ _Anyway_ ,” David said, nipping at Patrick’s shoulder. “All I’m saying is...you did good. Everyone here is happy. Everyone is here because they love you.”

David was right. As Patrick looked out over the crowd of people who had shown up to celebrate Christmas with them, there wasn’t a disaster in sight.

At the table closest to the door sat Twyla, Ivan sitting contentedly by her side, while she read tarot cards for Gwen.

Ray and Bob were standing next to the food table, their plates piled high. Ray was gesturing wildly while Bob almost bent double with laughter at his story.

Behind them passed Jake, two glasses of champagne in his hands, who made his way over to the loveseat against the far wall. He handed one glass to Heather, the other to Mutt, then sat down in between them, a hand on each thigh.

Dolores and Ethel Grace from the Rose Apothecary hosted Friday morning knitters club had set their walkers aside and were sitting like queens in two overstuffed chairs with four young men from Patrick’s baseball team at their beck and call, bringing them treats and listening to their stories.

Everywhere Patrick looked was happiness, love, hope, and family - all the things Christmas was supposed to be.

Patrick sighed, his body melting back into David’s embrace, the stress and panic from earlier leaching out of him. "They love you, too, you know," he said, raising one of David’s hands to his mouth, brushing his lips across David’s knuckles.

David hummed noncommittally, but whispered softly, "I know."

Patrick's heart warmed knowing that little by little David was beginning to see how loved he truly was.

As _White Christmas_ began playing on the speakers, Patrick felt himself being pulled back away from the curtains. David turned him around and gathered him up in his arms, swaying gently in time with the music. As Patrick’s hands found David’s waist again, he whispered against David’s ear, “You sure I can’t just duck out of here and take you home? Ravish you the way you deserve?”

David gasped and glared down at Patrick in a show of being scandalized. “How dare you, sir? I’m a married man after all.”

Patrick ginned, turning his head to press a soft kiss into his favorite spot on David’s neck. “Then your husband is a very lucky man.”

David made a short noise of amusement, then closed his eyes, sinking into the feeling of Patrick’s lips against the delicate skin of his throat. “Baby,” he finally said, knowing he needed to stop them before they went too far. “We need to get back out there.”

“We will,” Patrick whispered, catching David’s earlobe into his mouth and tugging gently, grinning at the soft moan David let out. “When the party’s over and everyone’s gone, I’m gonna blow you under the mistletoe. Gonna turn off all the lights except the tree, get on my knees, and swallow your cock right there in the middle of our store.”

“I’m not sure that’s correct mistletoe behavior, but on this Christmas occasion, I will allow it,” David said, gasping as Patrick’s warm hands slipped under his sweater and his soft lips made their way across his jaw. “As long you take me home afterwards and let me ride you in front of the fireplace.”

“Deal.”

David sighed happily as Patrick’s lips captured his own. They kissed lazily, warm lips and wet tongues gently caressing each other as they held each other close, hearts beating as one.

Suddenly, the curtain was pulled roughly to the side and a third body shoved itself into the tiny, cluttered space.

“What are you fuckers doing back here?”

David and Patrick both jumped in surprise at the intrusion, David stumbling back into the inventory shelf against the wall and Patrick sitting down with a loud _oof!_ onto a heavy box of spiced winter preserves.

Crossing her arms over her stomach, Stevie clucked her tongue in mock disappointment. “You’d think married men would know how to behave at their own Christmas party.”

“Do you mind?” David asked sourly, righting himself and dusting himself off.

“Not at all,” Stevie chirped. “People are starting to wonder what you’re doing back here. I thought you’d like to make an appearance before the whole town starts thinking you’re so horny you had to sneak off to hump in the stockroom.”

“Okay, you little gnat, shoo.” David waved his hands at Stevie trying to push her to the other side of the curtains while Patrick laughed at their antics. “We were having a nice moment back here.”

Cackling, Stevie turned and made her back through the curtains, poking her head back in at the last minute to say, “Oh, and Patrick, have you seen your dad’s sweatshirt?” She waggled her eyebrows at him twice then ducked out of sight.

Shaking his head at Stevie’s retreating form, Patrick looked up sheepishly at David. He felt a little silly for his earlier panic. “Sorry for...well. Sorry.”

David held out his hand, hauling his husband to his feet. “Don’t be. You get to freak out about dumb stuff every now and then. God knows I do.”

“Wow, that is shocking news.” Patrick tried to hide his smile as David rolled his eyes, then placated him with a kiss.

“We ready to do this?” David asked.

Patrick grinned, remembering that day so long ago when they had opened Rose Apothecary for the first time. They had been ready that day. They had been ready to open their store, and just a little bit later they had been ready to open their hearts to each other. They had been ready to promise a lifetime of love and devotion. And now, no matter what the situation - be it a Christmas party disaster or the end of the world - they knew they would be ready. Hand in hand, they could face anything.

With a hand at his back, David gently guided Patrick through the curtains back into the main floor of Rose Apothecary. And as they made their way across the floor to their families, David pulled Patrick tight to his side and with a kiss whispered, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Rose.”


End file.
